Apparatus for producing can bodies



July 18, 1944. c HUBBELL 2,353,728

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CAN BODIES Original Filed July 13, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR h a/W ATTCRINEYS July 18, 1944. A. c. HUBBELL 2,353,728

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CAN BODIES Original Filed July 13, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 VENTOR ATTORNEYS July 18, 1944. C HUBBELL 2,353,728

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CAN BODIES Original Filed July 13, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lV/A 7 WW 4 W 6/ wk ATTORNEYS July 18, 1944. A. c. HUBBELL APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CAN BODIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed July 15, 1957 TVEETOR JWMQZ ,4

4A4. \Z fiqu ATTORNEYS v Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,353.72: arrmrus ron rnonucmc. can Booms Arthur C. l-lubbell, St. Paul, Minm, assignor to American Can Company,-New York, N. Y.-, a corporation of New Jersey Original application July 13, 1937, Serial No. 153,448. Divided and this application April 3, 1941, Serial No. 386,735

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for producing can body blanks and for forming the blanksinto can bodies and has particular reference to attaching separate and pre-formed tongues to blanks of material to form can body blanks having an end of a tongue projecting beyond the confines of a blank for engagement by a key when opening a can made from one of the blanks and bodies thus produced. This is a division of my application on Method of producing can body blanks and can bodies, filed in the United States Patent ('Jflice on July 13, 1937, bearing Serial No. 153,448.

'Sheet metal containers adapted to be opened by the removal of encircling tearing or rip strips have generally been constructed from body blanks scored throughout their length to set off such strips. The blank is usually provided with an outwardly projecting or extending tongue at the end of the strip forengagement by a key. Inherently such a projecting tongue has necessitated that the blank be cut from a sheet of tin having an overall length longer than the desired blank by at least the length of the tongue, with resultant wastage of material at the end of the sheet.

To overcome this wastage of material some body blanks in recent years have been constructed with tongues which are made separately from the blank as independent pieces. v

The instant invention contemplates an apparatus for attaching separately made tongues to -formed, thus converting the blank into a can the blanks before the'blank is made into a can body, the tongues being secured to the tearing strip at the end which is first removed when opening the can and in such a manner that a portion of the tongue will project beyond the confines of the body blank for engagement by a key, as is the case with integral tongue blanks.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of an apparatus for producing a tearing strip can body blank wherein a preformed tongue is secured to the blank with .an end projecting beyond the edge of the blank as with an integral tongue and so that it will extend on the outside of the body made from such a blank and will provide for easy engagement by an opening key, the tongue being welded to the starting end of the tearing strip and being reinforced by such welding against separation from the tearing strip during the hardest part of the opening operation this being at the initial rupture of the strip from the body.

Another object is the provision of such an apparatus for producing can body blanks for lock and lapsoldered side seam bodies wherein the separate tongue is secured to the blank before the latter is notched preparatory to forming the side seam.

Another object isthe provision of an apparabody with a tongue properly arranged on the outside of the body for easy engagement by a key.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one corner of a can body blank in the flat and a separate tongue to be attached thereto by the apparatus of the invention, the view showing the blank and the tongue in spaced relation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2, showing the tongue secured in position on the blank;

Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 illus trating the notching of the blank after the tongue is secured thereto, portions of the notching tools being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the complete body blank rounded up into shape preparatory to being formed into a can body;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 5, showing the adjacent end edges of the blank bentover or edged for embodiment into a can body side seam;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the can body formed by securing the bent-over ends of the blank into a side seam, the tongue being shown properly overlapping the outside wall of the can y;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional detail of the can body side seam at the overlapping tongue, the view being taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line 8--8 in Fig. 7 but showing a fully soldered side seam;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a welding station forming a part of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, the view being taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line 9-9 in that figure;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section of the welding station mentioned above, the section being taken substantially along the line l0lll in Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail of Fig. 10 showing the welding electrode in a diiferent position;

angles to Fig. 13, showing respectively the body forming station, the body edging station, and the side seam forming station, the views being taken substantially along the respective lines M-il, i5-l5 and lB-li mm. 1.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate principal parts of an improved form of can body maker of the character disclosed in United States Patent 1,625,091 issued April 19,1927, to John F. Peters on Can body making machine." In such a machine the can body blanks are moved in a continuous procession past various operating stations incidental to economically producing a tongued tearing strip can body blank and forming a can body therefrom, the blank having a strip removing tongue which projects beyond its edge in the usual and preferred manner.

In the machine, the two separate pieces of work to be operated on are first brought together at an assembling or welding station. These pieces are preferably a rectangular blank 2| (Fig. 2) of the smallest dimensions required to construct a can body without a tongue, and a pre-formed tongue 22 which is to be secured to the blank. The blank as received may be provided with a pair of spaced and parallel score lines 23 which extend the full length of the blank at right angles to the tongue edge. The score lines set of! a removable tearing strip 24.

The tongue 22 is substantially the same or slightly less in width than the tearing strip. One end of the tongue is cut off square. The opposite end is tapered to facilitate engagement with a can opening key.

The blank 2| and the tongue 2! are brought together in juxta-position at the assembling and welding station, as shown in Fig. 3, the squared end of the tongue being placed against the scored side of the blank over-lapping the tearing strip 24 and in longitudinal alignment therewith. The tapered end of the tongue extends beyond the edge of the blank in the usual manner of a tongue formed integrally with the blank.

While in this position the tongue 22 is secured to the blank 2| by a welding operation. This converts the two separate pieces into a tongued blank member, which will be hereinafter indicated by the numeral 26. Blank 26 has a projecting tongue as in the usual form of tearing strip blank but by this joining together of blank and tongue there is obviated any necessity of wastage of material.

The blank 26 is then notched along both transverse edges to prepare them for embodiment in a side seam, preferably of the lock and lap seam type. This preparation includes the cutting of a pair of wedge shaped notches 23 (Fig. 4) in the tongue edge of the blank, the notches being disposed on opposite sides of the tongue and in alignment with the score lines 23. These notches are cut sufficiently deep into the blank to extend inwardly of the finished side seam of a can made from the-blank so that they will serve to facilitate directing of the line of tear into the score lines 23 during the initial rupture incident to the tearing strip being removed in opening the can.

Adjacent the ends of the tongue edge of the blank, stepped notches 29 (Fig. 5) are also provided. These stepped notches 28 cooperate with the wedge shaped notches 2! in setting of! between them, portions 3l of the blank edge which are to be embodied in the lock section of the seam and also portions 32 which are to be embodied in the lap section.

a,sss,'ras

The opposite edge of the blank 28 at the same time is subjected to the forming of a pair of slits 33 which align with the score lines 23, and a pair of wedge shaped notches II which are disposed opposite the stepped notches 2e. Slits 33 and notches 34 cooperate in setting oi! portions 3! of the blank edge which are adapted to be embodied in the lock sections of the side seam and also portions 30 which are adapted to be embodied in the lap sections.

After this preparation of the blank edges by notching, the blank 20 is formed into can body shape. The drawings show this shape as being preferably cylindrical (Fig. 5) for a round can although the blank may be bent into any other shape as desired.

Forming of the blank 2! into can body shape is followed by an edging operation which bends the lock sections II, II of both edges of the blank into hooks 31 (Fig. 6). These hooks extend in opposite directions for interengagement as is usual in look and lap side seam construction.

The hook edges of the rounded blank :0 are then brought together and interengaged with the tongue 22 extending on the outside of the rounded blank. While in this position the interengaged hooks 31 are squeezed down flat and locked together by a bumping action which produces a lock and lap side seam 38. This completes the formation of the side seam.

The lock section of the seam holds the ends of the blank tightly together converting the rounded blank 26 into a can body 3! as shown in Fig. '7. The unbent portions 32 of the seam overlap and engage against the unbent portions 33. This forms the lap sections of the seam. These unbent portions are secured together by the solder which is subsequently applied in completing the side seam. The projecting tongue 22 lies flat against the outside wall of the body and its square end is held tightly between portions of the lap sections 32, 38, being welded to the outer section 32 and soldered to the inner section 36 as shown in Fig. 8.

The tearing strip can body thus produced meets all requirements of the usual tearing strip can body having an integral tongue. However, in the can body produced by the instant method considerable material is saved by the use of the separate tongue. In addition an easier opening of the can results because of the reinforced welded connection between blank and tongue and the double thickness of the tearing strip section first wound on the opening key.

In the machine a supply of the tongueless can body blanks 2i with their scored surfaces uppermost is retained within a magazine 5| (Fig. l) which is carried on a bracket 52, supported on a machine main frame 53. The blanks are fed individually from the bottom of the magazine in any suitable manner as by reciprocating feed bars 54 (Fig. 9) having feed dogs 55. The dogs engage behind a blank on the forward stroke of the bars and move the blank from under the magazine. These feed bars are disposed in grooves formed in a table section IQ of bracket 52 and are reciprocated by any suitable means operating in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

A fed blank 2] is advanced by the feed bars 54 along the table 58 to a position adjacent an assembling or welding station A (Fig. 1) where the blank is brought to rest momentarily to receive its tongue 22. During this travel the blank is guided by a longitudinal guide rail 51 which is secured to the top of the table. A drag bar 59 frictionally engaging against the top of the fed blank, stops it in its proper location relative to the welding station at the end of the feeding stroke.

A supply of the tongues 22 is retained in a magazine 59 (Figs. 1, 9, and 11) which is disposed at the welding station A. This magazine is bolted to the top of the table 56 adjacent the path of travel of the blanks 2|. The -magazine holds the tongues in longitudinal alignment with the tearing strip 24 of a blank brought to rest at the welding station.

The tongues are fed from the bottom of the The slide 60 is reciprocated in its guideways by cam action. For this purpose the slide carries a depending cam roller 64 which operates within a groove 65 of a rotatable cam 66 mounted on a shaft 61 journaled in a bearing 69 formed in a bracket 69 depending from the bottom of table 55. The shaft is rotated by any suitable means actuated in time with the other moving parts of the machine.

In one position of the slide 60 it is retracted as shown in Fig. 11 to receive a tongu 22 from the magazine 59. In this position its recess 63 is directly under the stack of tongues in the magazine with the lowermost tongue in the stack resting in the slide recess. When cam 66 moves the slide forward to a position shown in Figs. 10 and 12, the tongue disposed in the slide recess is carried forward to meet the stationary tongueless blank 2| while the top of the slide supports the remaining tongues in the stack and thus holds them in the magazine. The advanced slide holds the squared end of the tongue over the top of the tearing strip 24 of the blank, with the tongue in longitudinal alignment with the tearing strip as shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. It is while it is in this position that the tongue is welded to the blank as hereinbefore explained.

Welding of the tongue 22 to the blank 2| is effected by an upper disc electrode I2 and a lower disc electrode 13. below the table 55 on a bushing 14 which surrounds -a screw 15 threaded into a lug 16 formed on the bottom of the table. The electrode extends up into the table opening 62 where it is directly under and in engagement with what will become the tongue end of the tearing strip 24 of a blank 2| positioned at the welding station. Electric energy is supplied to this electrode preferably by way of a bus bar 11 which leads to any suitable source of supply of energy. I

The upper electrode 12 is carried above the table 56 on a bushing 8| mounted on a screw 82 which is threaded into an insulating block 99 screwed to the forward end of a lever 94. One

end of a return bus bar 95 is connected to the bushing 9|. The other end of the bus bar leads to the supply of electric energy.

Lever 94 is bifurcated, having a pair of rearwardly extending legs 99 which straddle the tongue magazine 59. The rear ends of the legs are mounted on a pivot pin '91 carried in a bearing 98 formed on the rear of the magazine.

v notching station B (Figs. 1 and 13).

The electrode 13 is mounted Roller 92 is held against the cam 93 by a coiled compression spring 95. This spring is interposed between the top of lever 94 adjacent its forward end and the bottom of a lug 95 which projects from the front of the magazine above the lever. Pins 9'! in the lug and in the lever hold the sprin in place.

As the edge cam 99 rotates with shaft 61 and cam 56, it periodically swings the lever 94 vertically. This action is effected in time with the movement of slide 50. However, the rotating edge cam during the greater portion of its cycle holds the lever 84 at rest in raised position as shown in Fig. 11. It is during this period of rest of the lever 94 that the slide brings a tongue 22 into position relative to the blank 2| as described above.

As soon as the tongue 22 is in position, edge cam 93 permits the spring 95 to momentarily lower the lever 94 bringing the upper electrode 12 into engagement with the top of the. placed tongue. The spring 95 presses the electrode 12, tongue 22 and blank 2| down against the lower electrode 13. Electric energy immediately passes through these parts and it is this energy which welds the tongue 22 to the blank. It should be understood that this action is only momentary,

the upper electrode 12 and lever 84 being lifted to their raised position as shown in Fig. 11 by cam 93 as soon as the weld is made.

After welding, the tongued blank 26 is advanced by the feed bars 54 and feed dogs 55 to a This station is similar to the usual notching station embodied in can body making machines of the Peters type referred to. The working parts of the notcher include vertically reciprocating notching tools or punches I ill (see also Fig. 4) which cooperate with stationary die members )2 in forming the proper notches 29, 29, 34 in a blank properly positioned at the station. The die members are carried in the table 56. A slitter tool I03 also cooperates with the die members N2 in the usual manner for slitting the edge of the blank as shown in Fig. 4.

Upon completion of the notching operation, the blank 26 is again fed forward by the feed bars 54 and dogs 55 to an idle station. From the idle station the blank is fed endwise and moved the table 55. These rollers are preferably actu-- ated by direct connection with an electric motor One of the legs 96 oflever 94 is formed: with a Ill (Fig. 1). Above the upper roller there is mounted a horizontal mandrel or can body forming horn 2 which is surrounded by curved guide members H3. This mandrel and the guide members extend longitudinally of the machine through subsequently operating stations.

When the blank 26 is moved transversely across the table 55 by the auxiliary feed bars, .its edge nearest the rollers H0 is caught between them andthe blank is drawn in. A deflecting plate 4 disposed adjacent the back of the rollers bends the blank upwardly as it is drawn in by the rollers. This bends the blank into the preferred cylindrical body form shown in Fig. 5. As the forming proceeds the blank curls up around the horn I I2, being directed by the curved guide members H3. The formed blank remains on this horn after bending and is next advanced to an edging station by reciprocating feed bars II5 which are disposed in grooves IIB formed in the horn.

The edging station is indicated at D in Figs. 1 and and includes a rotatable'edging tool I2I which is disposed in a recess I22 formed in the bottom of the horn H2. The edging tool I2I carries a pair of edging irons I28 which are adapted to cooperate, in performing the edging operation, with a pair of stationary edging anvils or irons I24 which are carried in the horn adjacent the edge of the recess.

The edging tool I2I also cooperates with a pair of clamping irons I25 which are secured in the ends of movable arms I25. The arms I25 are moved into clamping position and edging tool I2I is oscillated within its recess by an suitable means operating in time with the other moving parts of the machine. A longitudinal slot I2! formed in one of the edging irons I23 provides for clearance of the tongue 22 as the blank is advanced into the edging station.

When a formed blank 26 is brought to rest on the mandrel at the edging station D its notched edges and the tongue 22 extend down into the recess I22 adjacent the edging tool I2 I. The blank is located and held against the mandrel by yieldable clamp bars I28 carried by the guide members H3. The blank adjacent its notched edges is tightly clamped by the movable edging irons I25 against the stationary edging irons I25 so that the edges of the blank will be held firm. While so held the edging tool I2I is rocked so that its irons I23 brush against and bend the lock sections 3|, 35 of the edges of the blank.

The edging tool I2I is first rocked in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 15). This bends the lock sections 3I, 35 of the notched edges at substantially right angles to the blank, the right hand sections 35 (as viewed in Fig. 15) being turned down, and the left hand sections 3i being turned up. The edging tool is then rocked in the reverse direction against the bent sections, bending them back on themselves to form the oppositely directed hooks 3'I herein-before mentioned.

It should be understood that the lap portions 32, 36 of the blank and the tongue 22 are not bent during this edging operation, the edging tool I2I and irons I23 being relieved or cut away at these points as by recesses I to prevent such bending. The edging tool is then rocked slightly in a clockwise direction again, thus bringing it into its neutral and original position to permit further advancement of the blank. This is a usual edgin operation as produced in can body making machines.

At the completion of the edging operation the blank 26 is unclamped and is again advanced by the feed bars II5 along the horn to a bumping station for the conversion of the blank into the body 39 and for the final formation of the side seam 38. This bumping station is indicated by the letter E in Figs. 1 and 16.

At the bumping station E the horn I I2 is smaller in diameter and is provided with expandable side sections I3I. Exterior movable side wings I32 are disposed adjacent the horn for clamping the blank in position during bumping. A top clamping bar I" is provided for holding the blank prior to clamping, and a seam bumping hammer IN is also provided for closing the seam. These machine parts are actuated by any suitable means operating in time with the other movable parts of the apparatus. This is a usual body maker construction.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for preparing sheet metal blanks for the manufacture of can bodies with a minimum of waste in body material, a said blank when completed having a tearing strip set of! by score lines and a separate tongue secured to an end of said tearing strip, the combination of a magazine for holding a supply of said blanks, a magazine for holding a supply of said tongues, a tongue securing station disposed in operative relation to said magazines, means for separately and successively intermittently feeding said blanks and means for intermittently feeding said tongues from said magazines into overlapping contacting stationary relation at said tongue securing station, said tongue feeding means including means for holding said tongue stationary at said station for the securing Operation, actuable means at said station for securing together the overlapped portions of a said tongue and an end of a said tearing strip, and means actuated by one of said feeding means for moving said securing means into engagement with said overlapped parts when both of said parts are momentarily stationary at the conclusion of a feeding movement by said tongue and blank feeding means, whereby said blank and the tongue secured thereto may be formed into a tubular tearing strip can body having a secured side seam.

2. In a machine for preparing sheet metal blanks for the manufacture of can bodies with a minimium of waste in body material, a said blank when completed having a tearing strip set off by score lines and a separate tongue secured to an end of said tearing strip, the combination of a magazine for holding a supply of said blanks, a magazine for holding a supply of said tongues, a welding station disposed in operative relation to said magazines, means for separately and sucessively intermittently feeding said blanks and means for intermittently feeding said tongues from said magazines into overlapping contacting stationary relation at said welding station, said tongue feeding means including means for holding said tongue stationary at said station for the welding operation, actuable means at said station for welding together the overlapped portions of a said tongue and the starting end of a said tearing strip, and means actuated by the tongue feeding means for moving said welding means into welding engagement with said overlapped parts when both of said parts ar momentarily stationary at the conclusion of a feeding movement by said tongue and blank feeding means, whereby said welded blank may be formed into a tubular tearing strip can body having a secured side seam.

ARTHUR C. HUBBHL, 

